SUISA: a short history

SUISA's story starts 140 years ago.

An entertaining journey through time in pictures through the history of Swiss music and SUISA

1796 – Invention of the music box: Genevan watchmaker Antoine Favre-Salomon invented the music box, which was actually a mechanical instrument.
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1883 – Switzerland's first Copyright Act came into force 40 years before SUISA was established. Unlike neighbouring countries, Switzerland did not yet have a copyright society. (Photo: SUISA)
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Invention of the shellac record: In 1896, Emil Berliner drove a quantum leap in sound quality thanks to a new shellac-based moulding material.
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1923 – Founding of MECHANLIZENZ. Extract from the first statutes. (Photo: SUISA)
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First Music Broadcast over the Radio: In 1922, this transmitter broadcasted live music from Champ de l’Air above Lausanne to a speaker at Hotel Beau-Rivage d’Ouchy. (Photo: Anonymous, first transmitter at the Champ de l’Air radio station, photograph dated 1925, coll. Musée Historique Lausanne)
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Clarinettist Kasi Geisser (right) caused a stir with more than just his innovative folk music. (Photographer unknown, music archive of Serge Schmid)
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Trumpeter Robert ‘Bob’ Engel put together Switzerland’s first permanent jazz radio orchestra for Radiostudio Genf in 1933. Engel was the first head of the SUISA branch opened in Lausanne in 1946. (Poster from the archive of Sam Mumenthaler)
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In 1940 Teddy Stauffer composed ‘S’Margritli’, the hugely popular song from the film ‘S’Margritli und d’Soldate’. (Photographer unknown, archive Sam Mumenthaler)
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GEFA becomes SUISA: The new Collecting Act of 1941 prompted GEFA to change its status from an association to a co-operative SUISA (SUISse Auteurs). SUISA became operational on 1 January 1942 in Zurich. (Photo: Keystone /Photopressearchiv/Fred Eberhard)
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The composer Frank Martin (right) joined what is now SUISA in 1924. Here he's talking to his musical mentor, composer Joseph Lauber, in 1942. (Photo: Keystone)
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Vinyl record, 1948: Synthetic PVC was used to replace the rare natural product shellac. This was not only cheaper and less fragile, it also improved sound quality and durability.
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Cédric Dumont (far right) founded in 1946 the Schweizer Radio Entertainment Orchestra, putting his stamp on the ‘Beromünster sound’. (Photo: Jacques Weiss, Archiv Sam Mumenthaler)
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Composer and conductor Robert Blum wrote the music for numerous Swiss films, including ‘Fusilier Wipf’ (1938), ‘Gilberte de Courgenay’ (1941) and ‘Heidi’ (1952). (Photo: Filming for ‘Uli the Farmhand’ (1954), © StAAG/RBA)
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The Orchestra Radiosa was the driving force behind musical creation in Italian-speaking Switzerland for fifty years. Mario Robbiani (right) and Fernando Paggi wrote countless pieces and collaborated with artists including Mina, Gilbert Bécaud and Toto Cotugno (centre). Photograph unknown, RSI Radiotelevisione Svizzera
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In 1979, in the 'Eiskeller' in Adligenswil, punk was wild! This picture shows a fan of the group Chaos on the ground before Ferdi Spaeti, in PVC trousers on the guitar, and Urs Knüsel at the microphone. Auraonline.ch, Emanuel Ammon
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The all-female band Kleenex (LiLiPUT from 1979 onwards) completed the evolution from fierce punk to cool new wave, attracting attention in the USA and the UK. Here the original line-up performing at the Spex club in Bern in 1978. Photo: Hansueli Trachsel
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Ticino guitarist and singer Marco Zappa (centre) during a 1980 performance at the old Stadttheater Winterthur as part of the Swiss Hitparade. Photo: Marianne-Wolleb©StAAG-RBA
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After their commercial release in 1982, compact discs and their players were extremely popular. Music captured on a wafer-thin silver disc, twelve centimetres in diameter.
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In 1987, the English music press heard the future of rock music in the Young Gods debut album, and they were soon impressing such greats as David Bowie and U2’s The Edge. Photo: The Young Gods
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Céline Dion (right) won the 1988 Eurovision Song Contest for Switzerland with the song ‘Ne partez pas sans moi’. The lyrics were written by Nella Martinetti (centre) and the music by Atilla Şereftuğ (left). Foto: Keystone
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First foundation for music: At SUISA’s general meeting in 1987, Michel Bühler proposed the idea of a central structure to support Chanson. This resulted in the creation of the ‘SUISA Foundation for music’ in 1989, since renamed in FONDATION SUISA.
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In 1989, the quartet Furbaz from the Grisons was the first group to perform a song in Romansch at the Eurovision final with ‘Viver senza tei’, written by singer Marie Louise Werth. Photo: Candid Lang © StAAG/RBA
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1991: The MP3 format hugely reduced music data volumes without significant loss of quality. This meant that music could be downloaded and exchanged on the World Wide Web (1989).
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In 1994, Christine Lauterburg’s singing and yodelling on the album ‘Echo der Zeit’ was so enthusiastically hearty and free, and the accompanying technopop so lush, that a whole new generation suddenly took a shining to folk music – even in New York. Photo: Max Bürki
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Lys Assia made her international breakthrough in 1954 with the song ‘O mein Papa’, from Paul Burkhard's 1939 operetta ‘Der schwarze Hecht’ (‘The Black Pike’). In 1956 she won the first Eurovision Song Contest with the song ‘Refrain'. (Photo: 1963, Paolo Foschini © StAAG/RBA6)
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Joining forces with MECHANLIZENZ: MECHANLIZENZ was regrouped with SUISA in 1958, although the two societies remained legally independent. The full merger came a few years later.
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The CAE directory involved an enormous amount of data for its time, which is why SUISA had to equip its systems with microfilm. Photo: © André Melchior, Fotostiftung Schweiz
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Compact cassette, 1963: Magnetic tape started being used in 1935, primarily in recording and radio studios. In 1963 it was adopted in compact cassettes, enabling people to make their own recordings.
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Les Sauterelles gratified Switzerland with a late ‘summer of love’ at the end of 1967. The single 'Heavenly Club’ soared to success in 1968. Photo: Dominik Bachmann
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In November 1968, SUISA moved into the new building in Zurich-Wollishofen. Photo: © André Melchior, Fotostiftung Schweiz
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The first open air festivals, such as the Lenzburg Folk Festival first held in 1972 on an idyllic castle hill, mostly offered acoustic folk music. Photo: 1975, Christoph Sonderegger, ETH Library Zurich
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The photo shows Alain Morisod (far left) in 1974 with the group Sweet People. In 1982, his idol Arlette Zola came third in the Eurovision Song Contest with the song ‘Amour on t’aime’which he co-authored. photo: Jean-Paul Levet
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Jazz musician Bruno Spoerri, seen here during a concert with Groupe Instrumental Romand at Radiostudio Genf in 1975, started pioneering the use of electronic sound generators in 1965. Photographe r unknown, collection Bruno Spoerri
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Streaming platforms: From 2003 onwards, MySpace offered an innovative streaming platform with a large music collection and social media functionality.
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DJ and trance producer DJ Tatana made her international break-through at the Zurich Street Parade. She was often to be found at the decks, like here at Zurich’s OXA club in 2004. Photo: Gaëtan Bally, Keystone
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Steve Lee’s striking vocals drove the melodic hard rock of Gotthard, Switzerland's most successful rock band after Krokus. He is pictured here at the Gotthard Pass in 2008. Photo: Urs Flüeler, Keystone
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Among Heinz Holliger's main works are the opera ‘Schneewittchen’ (‘Snow White’) and ‘Scardanelli Cycle’; his many awards include the Ernst von Siemens Music Prize and the Swiss Grand Prix de la Musique. Photo: Tabea Hüberli
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Zeal & Ardor attracted huge international attention in 2016 with their unique combination of gospel, blues and black metal. On their debut album, Manuel Gagneux (centre) played alone, but for live shows he performs with a band. photo: Henry Schulz
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Digital Licensing: In 2017, SUISA established Mint Digital Services in joint venture with SESAC Holdings, a US music rights organisation. The company is responsible for the management and accounting of the transnational music licensing business with online providers.
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Danitsa’s songs move between hip-hop, reggae, soul, funk and trap. The singer, songwriter and producer was elected Best Act Romandie at the Swiss Music Awards in 2018 and 2022. Photo: Qendresa Breznica
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SUISA past and present

For over 100 years, SUISA has been committed to ensuring that composers, lyricists and publishers of music receive fair remuneration for their work. Since 1923, SUISA has developed in tune with the globally evolving universe of music uses.

1883 – First Swiss copyright legislation

Switzerland’s first Federal Copyright Act (CopA) was introduced 40 years before SUISA was founded. Unlike its neighbours, Switzerland did not yet have a collective administration society. However, since 1876 a branch of SACEM, the French society, had granted French authors in Switzerland the same level of legal protection that they had in France.

Overview of the history of collecting societies (only in German & French)
 

1900 – Founding of STV

The impetus for the foundation of a collecting society in Switzerland was given by Adrien Lachenal, a music-loving Federal Councillor. On 30 June 1900, the STV - Schweizerische Tonkünstlerverein (association of Swiss sound artists) was founded in Zurich. The STV was not a proper collecting society, but its declared purpose was to create a company for the collective administration of authors’ rights. However, its first commitment was to improving copyright law.

1923 – Founding of MECHANLIZENZ

SUISA’s story truly starts in 1923 with the founding of MECHANLIZENZ, at the time a joint-stock company. The decisive factor behind its creation was the introduction of the copyright act in 1923.  
The purpose of MECHANLIZENZ was to licence the production of sound recordings. This did not really mean records, which were still in their infancy in 1923, but music boxes. Music boxes were mainly produced in the area of Yverdon and Sainte-Croix and from there they were exported to the whole world.

1924 – Founding of GEFA

On 6 July 1924, one year after the new copyright act became law and MECHANLIZENZ was established, GEFA, the Swiss society for performance rights, was founded. The society was run by the Swiss association of sound artists (STV) in cooperation with the Swiss society of popular authors, composers, and publishers, the association of Swiss music dealers and publishers, and other groups.

Extract from the first statutes of MECHANLIZENZ.

1941 – GEFA becomes SUISA

The new collective administration act of 1941 provided that only one society would be empowered to collectively manage the rights of authors of non-dramatic music, that this society needed State approval, and that it would operate under federal oversight. As a result, GEFA was converted from an association into a cooperative society. And its name was changed to SUISA. The name is a shortening of the words SUISse Auteurs.
SUISA started operation on 1 January 1942 and relocated its headquarters to the former premises of the Rentenanstalt at Mythenquai in Zurich. 

1946 – Additional office in West Switzerland

In 1946, SUISA’s Board decided to open a branch in Lausanne for collections and to serve its members in French-speaking Switzerland. The Lausanne branch also incorporated the film department which was responsible for cinema theatres, film producers and television advertisers across Switzerland as a whole.

1958 – Alliance with MECHANLIZENZ

Most members of MECHANLIZENZ were also members of SUISA, and they compared the services offered by the two societies. In 1958, MECHANLIZENZ was attached to SUISA, but both societies retained their legal independence. The full merger came quite a few years later. The merger agreement was approved by the general meetings of the two societies on 14 June 1980.

The former SUISA logo from 1960.

1965 - CAE directory (composers, authors and publishers)

CISAC, the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (Confédération Internationale des Sociétés d’Auteurs et Compositeurs) instructed SUISA to prepare a list of all composers, lyricists, and music publishers affiliated with a collective administration society. This is how the CAE directory came into being; it would soon comprise the names of more than one million authors and publishers. Since 1997, the directory has been called the IPI List (Interested Parties Information) and can be accessed online by all rightholders.

The CAE directory involved an enormous amount of data for its time, which is why SUISA had to equip its systems with microfilm. Photo: © André Melchior, Fotostiftung Schweiz

1968 - SUISA moves into its own premises

In the post-war years, demand for music soared and more and more music was composed. SUISA’s membership grew three-fold between 1942 and 1960 – over the same period, however, SUISA’s offices merely doubled in size.

Owing to the growth in music consumption and in the number of registered works, SUISA had to install its own EDP facilities. At the time, storage capacity required a huge amount of space. SUISA was therefore obliged to look for new premises.

In 1966, the foundation stone of SUISA’s new building was laid in the presence of the Mayor of Zurich, Sigmund Widmer. SUISA moved into its new premises in Zurich in November 1968.

© André Melchior, Fotostiftung Schweiz

In November 1968, SUISA moved into the new building in Zurich-Wollishofen.  Photo: © André Melchior, Fotostiftung Schweiz

1989 the first Foundation for Music

In 1987, at SUISA’s General Meeting, the French-Swiss composer and author Michel Bühler presented the concept of a central structure to support “Chanson”. This triggered the foundation, in 1989, of the “SUISA Foundation for Music” –- known today as FONDATION SUISA. It is headquartered in the “Maison de la Musique” in Lausanne. The purpose of Fondation SUISA is to promote music-making in Switzerland and abroad.
The foundation is funded by a contribution of 2.5% of SUISA’s annual domestic broadcasting and performance revenues (from Switzerland and Liechtenstein). FONDATION SUISA awards more than CHF 2.5 million per year in grants to projects, scholarships and other activities.

The current logo of the "SUISA Foundation for Music", founded in 1989.

1999 – CHF 32.3 million in revenues

In 1999, revenues from mechanical rights amounted to CHF 32.3 million. The turn of the century marked the peak in mechanical reproduction. At the same time, it was a turning point: as of the year 2000, remuneration for private copying and income from online uses (downloading and streaming) started replacing the revenues from reproduction rights.  
The World Wide Web was not just a passing fad: it upended music distribution altogether.

2002 - Branch in Lugano

In 2002, SUISA opened a branch in Lugano to serve music creators and users in the Ticino and neighbouring northern Italy.
Today, a staff of four employees serves authors, publishers and customers in Italian-speaking Switzerland and neighbouring Italy.

2010 – A postulate leads to the revision of the Copyright Act

In 2010, Géraldine Savary, at the time a member of the Council of States and subsequently a member of SUISA’s Board, submitted the postulate "Does Switzerland need a law against the illegal downloading of music?". 
The last revision of the Federal Copyright Act (CopA) was initiated in 2012 as a result of this postulate. The revised CopA came into force on 1 April 2020 – ten years after the postulate. Over this decade, technological progress advanced at the speed of light. Even at the time, music was hardly downloaded anymore, but streamed on online platforms. A further revision will be necessary soon to effectively secure compensation for the use of authors' rights, including by the tech giants (GAFA: Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon), in the age of artificial intelligence.

2017 – Mint and SUISA Digital: an important step into the future

The principle of territorial rights management does not apply to online music usage. Moreover, online licensing of music usages presupposes that the collective rights management organisations have at its disposal the requisite processes and IT infrastructure. As a result, many organisations –- including the larger ones – started to establish what are known as licensing hubs.

SUISA established Mint Digital Services in joint venture with SESAC Holdings, a US music rights organisation. The company is responsible for the management and accounting of the transnational music licensing business with online providers.

Licensing for international online music platforms is handled via SUISA Digital Licensing, a subsidiary created that same year with its registered office in Liechtenstein. Both Mint and SUISA Digital Licensing offer their services to other collective management organisations and music publishers.

2019 - 100,000 new customers in one fell swoop

The revision of the Swiss Radio and TV Act in 2015 also had an impact on SUISA.  Until then, Billag, the Swiss collection agency for radio and TV licence fees, had been responsible for collecting fees for backgound entertainment on SUISA’s behalf from businesses that played music, TV programmes or videos on their premises.

The system was changed based on the revised CopA, and SUISA took over this task again at the beginning of 2019.  Thus, in one fell swoop, it was responsible for 100,000 new customers.  To master this task, SUISA set up a customer centre staffed with ten new employees.

2023 – SUISA’s centenary 
In 2023, SUISA celebrated its centenary with various events: a centenary celebration at the AURA club in Zurich, an anniversary book "Streiflichter auf 100 Jahre Schweizer Musik", the short film series "Louis gets it" and a centenary website.  Swiss Post honoured SUISA with a special stamp: Switzerland's first stamp with augmented reality and music.

To SUISA’s centenary website: www.suisa100.ch